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'(No Model.)

' N. H. HERZBERG.

FIRE ESCAPE. No.- 501,343. Patented July 11, 1893.

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I gw vg m 04 vm NAOl-IMAN H. HERZBERG, OF NEW? YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ALPHONSE CAI-IN, OF SAME PLACE.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 501,343, dated July 11, 1893.

Application filed June 24, 1892. Serial No. 437,889. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, NAOHMAN H. HERZBERG, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire- Escapes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists of the peculiar construction and combination of parts to form a fire escape, and my invention has for its object to provide a fire escape, cheap but strong in construction, which, when folded up takes comparatively small space away and which can at once be unfolded for use, with the greatest facility, even by a child. The strength of the parts is such that a person can let down at once a whole family of four or five persons, and in case of need he can easily, and without any outside help go up again to save other persons. Means are provided to facilitate the passage of the car over porches or other projections of the building.

My improved fire escape is represented in the accompanying drawings wherein Figure l is a vertical section through the front wall and part of a building showing my fire escape in side elevation. Fig. 2is a front elevation of same in operation. Fig. 3 is an inner View of a window illustrating how the supporting bar is fixed. Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the car and Fig. 5 is an under side view of the same.

Like numerals of reference denote corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

The fire escape is supported by a strong iron bar 1 having its ends bent at right angles, to be placed in case of fire into hooks or brackets 2, which are fastened to one or all the windows of a dwelling. These hooks are strong and can be painted or in any manner be decorated so that they may not be unsightly in the building; they may also be secured on the outside of the window jambs. The traveling car 8 of which I shall give a special description farther below, is supported by pulley blocks of any suitable construction; I prefer to use double pulley blocks, of which the upper one 4, provided with a check-catch 5 and a hook 6 is hooked over the bar 1 in the middle or near the right or left end as the hook of the lower block.

case may require, should flames or smoke from below threaten to give trouble. The lower pulley block 7 receives in its lower hook 8 the ring of the traveling car 3. Thelatter is formed of any suitable strong material which can be folded easily. I form the bottom of a wooden platform, preferably square strengthened by iron cross-bars 9, provided with loops at the ends wherein cords or ropes 10 are fastened which run up the corners of the car to an iron frame 11 of about the same size as the bottom. This frame is fastened to the ropes in any convenient manner at breast-height, and the ropes above it run together into a ring or eye 12, which is to be held by the hook of the lower pulley block. The surface comprised between the framell and bottom is covered with strong canvas which thus forms inside a free space in which children or women can be held safely, free of fear and giddiness.

13, 13 are casters on the under side of the car, which are of service in passing over porches or other projections of the building and also, in rolling the fire-escape, as soon as an alarm be given with the greatest facility, (by children if need be) from the gstoring place to the window-least exposed to fire and smoke from below and best adapted for the descent.

The operation of my apparatus is as follows: The folded car, wherein the pulleyblocks and rope and all other parts are placed,

(not taking more space than to fill a box of two feet square by six inches high, which is stored away under a sofa or other piece of furniture) is pushed under the window, the

bar 1 is thrown into the hooks 2, and its bent ends are so turned as shown in Fig. 3 that it cannot slip out. Then the block with the catch is hooked on the bar and the ring of the car is engaged into the downward directed Now the bottom of the car is lifted up, pushed out of the window and allowed to drop outside. The dimensions are so calculated that then the upper frame of. the car will just be at the height of the window sill, as shownin Fig. l which is the best position for charging the car. As long as the check-line 14 is free, the catch will press on the rope and the car will remain in an absolutely safe position to be charged with persons or valuable goods. As soon as this is cifected a person takes in his right hand the rope 15 (which may remain at the bottom of the car or may be thrown out into the street) and in his left hand the check-line. By pulling the same the descent will commence and will be effected more or less quickly according to how fast the rope is allowed to slip through the hand of the operating person. The work is quite easy, even when the car is heavily charged as with the double blocks the whole charge is hung on five ropes. Even an ascent can be easily and quickly effected with my apparatus, by any person, a child of ten years in case of need and forgotten children or valuables can be saved.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is The car 3 herein described consisting of the wooden bottom provided with casters, and strengthened with iron cross-bars 9 the can vas sides secured to said bottom the metal frame for distending the top of the canvas, and the ropes 10 secured through eyes in the ends of the bottom bars to the bottom and to the top frame, and terminating in a single central ring or eye 12, as set forth.

In testimony whereof Iafiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

NACHMAN H. HERZBERG. \Vitnesses:

S. BRASHEARS, VINTON OooMBs. 

